


Going Public

by panda_shi



Series: Beneath the Sun [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anbu Yamato | Tenzou, Announcements, Awkward Conversations, Awkwardness, Developing Relationship, Established Relationship, Falling In Love, M/M, Pre-Shippuden, Rumors, Silly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-12-29 04:17:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21133157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/panda_shi/pseuds/panda_shi
Summary: Two of the places Iruka spends the most time at gets a make over. The village and his friends go a little nuts with their theory.





	Going Public

**Author's Note:**

> Self Beta-ed. May or may not contain mistakes. Meh.

Tenzou handing Iruka a small pocket sized book to the most comprehensive list of flowers, plant species and all its meaning should have been Iruka’s first clue that Tenzou wants to announce to the world Iruka's permanent retirement from the market.

In retrospect, it should have been pretty obvious the day Iruka showed up at the Academy that next morning, right after Tenzou’s return from his first mission after they got married, to a near catastrophic brouhaha at the Academy grounds. Surrounding the Academy playground and training ground is a spread of lavender, a lavish stretch of purple going all around the fence and over it. It breaks the monotonous, neutral paint colors of the Academy walls and its green grass. The staff and children are delighted by this change, shocked even, as they should be because Iruka knows that the lavender garden hadn’t been there the day before.

It doesn’t escape Iruka that Tenzou remembers the story Iruka had mentioned of his mother’s lavender garden, back then, when the Umino household had been a little, modest house with a small backyard in the suburbs. The fact that Tenzou remembers warms a part of Iruka’s heart he didn’t know had been quite devoid of heat for a long, long time. His mother would have loved the sight of the Academy Lavender Garden, as it’s been affectionately called. 

According to the book, lavender is a symbol of devotion. 

(What an absolute sap, that Tenzou.)

And while it is a fantastic joy-inducing view from Iruka’s classroom window, seeing that luscious spread of purple under the spring sunshine, that more often than not, always brings a smile to Iruka’s lips seeing a visual representation of Tenzou’s devotion during the course of his day, he should have known that this kind of declaration, this display of open affection would in turn mean that Iruka would have to deal with the brunt of it.

Questions of how, who, and more importantly, _ why _ starts to swirl within the Academy break-rooms and pantry. It goes on and on and _ on_, eventually only dwindling down to a whisper when some hot new gossip pops out. Like Akari-sensei finally divorcing her shitty, abusive husband or when Yuto-sensei finally announces that he is enrolling his first born after trying for eight years to have a child in the Academy during the summer. The children certainly are a lot more entertaining in their justification of the flowering lavender garden, calling it a ghost in the night, a curse, a blessing, and the best one being that there is a lingering god who resides under the Academy grounds, asking for their prayers and attention. One even concluded that the Academy grounds was built over an old battle ground, and that these are the result of the numerous souls reaching out for vengeance.

(That one had Iruka stifling laughter for a good few minutes.)

No one connects the garden to Iruka, which Iruka is honest to heaven grateful for because he’s not sure he’s ready to explain how he got into a marriage so secretly. 

Not that he’s keeping it a secret. Or it is a secret. Per se.

It’s just that he and Tenzou would like to keep their lives a little more private than most, especially when they're still settling into their new apartment.

Except on a Friday, a little after midnight, Tenzou whispers the number twenty-two, his armor on and mask in hand, brushing his lips against Iruka’s neck to press a lingering kiss there before leaving with his team for his second mission after their marriage. It is on that rather dreary morning (obviously, Iruka is subject to feeling down when the love of his life is going to be gone _ again_), when Iruka steps into the mission office, he is greeted by a swarm of shinobi, jounin, chuunin alike, all gathered by the window and staring at the grounds beyond.

Surrounding the administration office and all around the Hokage tower is a spread of red salvia, in full blossom, reaching for the sky, proudly puffing out its declaration: forever mine.

Iruka sits through the white noise of curious shinobi, heat on his face, butterflies amok in his stomach, as he goes about his job at the mission desk, listening to conversation here and there from people waiting in line about the sudden appearance of the pretty garden outside the administration building. 

Two of the places Iruka spends _ most _ of his time in gets a head-to-toe make makeover. 

Well if that isn’t a fucking announcement to the whole village, then Iruka must be a complete moron.

Iruka would never admit it out loud, but sometimes, when things are slow in his classroom or at the mission desk, he would look out the window and think of his darling husband; it just makes the long wait feel a little shorter. When the flowers and leaves dances with the gentle spring breeze, Iruka would happily imagine that it's Tenzou smiling at him from whatever corner of the map the Hokage has sent him to.

That he isn’t so alone, after all, when Tenzou’s presence is there for the world to see. But mostly, to keep Iruka company.

It’s so, so fucking sweet. And thoughtful. And honest to gods just _ touching_. It’s enough to make Iruka’s toes curl in his shoes just the tiniest bit.

That is, until, Iruka is caught staring at the salvias with a dopey, hopelessly gone expression he didn’t know he is wearing by none other than Kotetsu.

And that is when all hell breaks loose.

*

“Oh my god, you said yes!” Kotetsu all but squawks, startling Iruka out of his thoughts, as he nearly knocks over his half empty cold tea cup. “Holy shit!”

“Yes to what?” Genma quips, turning his attention to Iruka, propping himself up on the table and crossing his arms.

“The super secret jounin lover who proposed to him while he and I,” Kotetsu jerks a thumb at Izumo, “were in the hospital about a month ago.”

“Someone proposed to you?” Izumo sounds shocked, eyes wide, eyebrows disappearing under his forehead protector.

“You know what, Kotetsu? I will have none of your brash declarations and ludicrous assumptions. How did you even reach that conclusion!” Iruka demands, flushing to the roots of his hair as he straightens his table to get ready to leave.

“Iruka, you’ve been staring at the garden for _ days _ with a pair of googly eyes. Everyone has noticed,” Izumo points out.

“Everyone,” Iruka parrots.

“Everyone.” Genma nods. “Raidou actually asked me if you were okay and getting any sleep lately, what with the rather obvious way you are spacing out.” Genma gestures at Iruka’s general direction.

“I was not spacing out!” Iruka denies, pushing his chair back and gestures at the garden. “I mean it's a lovely sight. Everyone is in agreement with _ that_. Can’t a man sit and appreciate something wonderful when things are slow in the office?”

“He’s got a point,” Izumo sighs, turning his attention to Kotetsu. “Are you making this up? They had us on some pretty good drugs that day.”

“Guys, I shit you not, there was someone there, he proposed and Iruka was emotional!” Kotetsu is on full on defense; it makes Iruka want to strangle the living shit out of him. 

“What’s that got to do the with flowers outside?!” Iruka _ snaps_.

“I don’t know but my gut is telling me that you know something about it and you are not sharing and my clue is that stupid, dopey face you’re making!” Kotetsu argues.

Iruka grabs the nearest stapler and lobs it at Kotetsu’s head.

They dissolve into an argument after that, which ends up with Genma and Izumo trying to separate them as if they're cats and dogs out for each other's throat. That is how Raidou finds them, with Genma caught in between fits of wheezing laughter at the creative insults Iruka and Kotetsu are firing at each other, and Izumo losing his temper at how bull headed Kotetsu is insisting on being right about his gut instincts.

Raidou asks one question once he’s brought up to speed, somewhere between Iruka preparing to leave for the evening and locking up his drawer. “Does anyone even know what the flowers outside mean? I’m no botanist --”

“Forever mine,” Iruka answers without thinking, like a reflex.

The silence that falls in the room that night is almost deafening.

  
*

“I never pegged you as the kind to be interested in plants,” Izumo casually slides into the conversation over dinner, as the five of them huddle over dinner at a small table in one of their favorite izakaya.

“I’m not. Or I wasn’t.” Iruka responds around a mouthful of vegetables. Best way to lie is to actually tell the truth. “But I’ve been given this book by an enthusiast and it’s been interesting.”

“Is that so?” Raidou looks up from his rice bowl, holding Iruka in place with gaze.

Out of everyone at the table, Iruka knows that Raidou is probably the only one who can see through his bullshit the quickest. Iruka thinks he betrays nothing as he hums around another mouthful of food, trying to stop the urge to fidget under that assessing gaze. He mostly succeeds.

“That is very much so,” Iruka insists.

The conversation moves on, but the slight knowing smirk on Raidou’s lips is enough to ignite the flush on Iruka’s cheeks and keep it there for the rest of the evening.

Thank goodness Izumo orders a few more beers. It’s a great excuse.

*

That is not to say that Iruka is trying to hide his relationship.

He just doesn’t appreciate getting hounded for details. He would like to be given the chance to answer it properly, and not get pestered for it.

Which he really should have known he wouldn’t be able to avoid, because things take an interesting turn when Iruka finds a pot of coral roses when Tenzou’s third mission (a surprisinly short one) swings around; all Iruka can think of in that moment is oh, fuck, no, which of the adults have seen this. Which is quickly followed by, oh gods, please not Sota-sensei, he will not keep his mouth shut!

Coral roses signify desire.

And while his younger students gets very excited and very pro-active about setting up a schedule for the next three months on their activity board, each individual taking turns on watering their baby plant (not that the roses were small, but still), Iruka watches all this like one would watching two fast moving steam trains about to collide head on. The flush on Iruka’s face refuses to recede throughout the day. 

Sure enough, just as Iruka had feared, Sota-sensei sees the lavish present. Sota-sensei declares how wonderful it is, how sweet it is. Very loudly. In the hallway. Right after the children runs out to the playground for their recess. Sota-sensei also starts to tease Iruka about a secret admirer, that they certainly have good tastes if that intricately carved wooden pot and large, lively coral rose blossoms are anything to go by.

Iruka actually wonders in that very moment if Sota-sensei has always been _ this _ loud. 

By the end of the day, Iruka had about ten other staff members pop in to take a curious peek at the lovely present now sitting by the window sill. 

The chatter would have been contained within the Academy walls. If Genma had not popped in with a message from the Hokage four days later. 

“She wants to meet with you,” Genma says, after recovering from a very, very long pointed stare at the pot of roses by the window. They really are quite hard to miss.

“Right…” Iruka says weakly, nervousness creeping into his bones. 

“Nice,” Genma pointedly says, tipping his chin at the pot, senbon bobbing up and down once.

“It is, isn’t it? The children are happy…” Gods, it’s such a stupid response; Iruka could kick himself for coming up with something so deplorable.

“I bet they are.” Genma grins. All teeth.

  
*

“He’s currently in intensive care, but nothing to worry about,” Tsunade clarifies, scribbling something furiously on her desk before stamping it with her seal. She then holds out the little slip of paper towards Iruka, who remains frozen in his spot in front of her desk at the casual delivery of the news, all the blood that had been coursing through out his body pooling somewhere around his feet and ankles. “Iruka, he’s fine.”

“Yes, Hokage-sama,” Iruka blinks, snapped back to reality at the sharper (but not unkind) delivery. “O-Of course, I’m not questioning your judgment…”

Tsunade rolls her eyes as Iruka takes the slip of paper.

It’s an authorization to access the ANBU facility with an appointed escort.

“It’s just a stubborn wound,” Tsunade placates. 

“Yes, Hokage-sama,” Iruka manages to respond, dipping his head forward when he remembers his manners. “Thank you for informing me.”

Tsunade looks at him for a while, measuring the tension that is tucked away under Iruka’s flak jacket before she turns her gaze a little towards Iruka’s left. The hairs on the back of Iruka’s neck stands when the presence behind him makes itself known. “Sparrow will escort you to the medical wing.”

It’s a clear dismissal. Iruka dips his head politely and follows the silent one hundred sixty seven centimeter shadow all the way to the medical wing of the ANBU headquarters.

  
*

Being the only person without a mask in the waiting room is surreal. 

Standing next to Sparrow even more so because Iruka is forced to wait after handing in the Hokage’s authorization at the desk -- where a beady eyed, hunched back, ancient woman had stared at him for a good thirty seconds as if he were an insect she's debating on squishing before turning away to look through a thick, yellowed, dog eared, post-it-sticking-out-from-several-areas, record book. She must have found what she was looking for because the woman then proceeds to stare even harder for a few more seconds. She _harumphs_ under her breath like Iruka is indeed, the most offending thing she's ever set eyes upon, nostrils flaring once before pulls a drawer open and hands Iruka a yellow colored plastic badge. No text, no number - nothing. Just a yellow rectangle that the lady gestures with spotty hands and a grumble that sounds like a about to die back up generator for Iruka to clip on his chest. 

“Don’t take it personally,” Sparrow murmurs, voice soft, polite. One that spoke of good breeding.

“I’m used to that, but thank you,” Iruka responds, thinking back on all the stares he had gotten as a child and then later, when he had taken a liking to Naruto. Somewhere in the middle of the thirty minute wait and every ANBU operative turning masked heads at Iruka's direction as they walk by, Iruka apologizes. “I’m sorry you have to keep me company like this; I’m sure you have better things to do.”

“Don’t worry, Umino-san; Taichou’s treatment should be done shortly,” Sparrow responds.

Iruka thinks he should look away from the mask, but the milky pale irises under it holds him captive. The words aren’t dry in its delivery, they aren’t even spiteful. But they’re there and for a brief moment, Iruka thinks of the way Genma had looked at him earlier, the way his eyes shifted between the coral roses and Iruka’s face. Iruka can tell that the person behind the mask is a Hyuuga. No one else has irises like that unless they’re purposely using a disguise. He gathers that Sparrow is probably amused, too. Like Genma.

“R-Right…” Iruka stutters, clearing his throat and pointedly keeping his hands on his knees, swallowing past the sudden dryness in his throat, praying that the rising flush isn't so horribly visible. A hundred questions rise to the tip of his tongue, mostly curious ones that centers around getting to know more about Tenzou’s colleagues, if Sparrow, say, is part of Tenzou’s unit. Or does everyone just address Tenzou as Taichou, which means, Tenzou is so far up the rank ladder, it’s no wonder Iruka is at the receiving end of such looks. 

“This may be a little late, but I would like to extend my congratulations on your union, Umino-san,” Sparrow says.

The words ignites the flush all over Iruka’s face. Damnit.

“Thank you,” Iruka manages to say without tripping over his syllables. The flush starts radiating past his throat, spreading all over his chest. Iruka is almost terrified one of the medics is going to walk over and inquire about his feverish state. Iruka's been in a lot of embarrassing situations; this is probably, easily, in the top five. “It was a little quick.”

“Taichou is very efficient in making his decisions,” Sparrow comments.

And it sounds like she wants to say more, that she’s hinting at something a lot deeper.

Iruka rolls his eyes before he can stop himself, muttering a little irritably, huff and all, “So efficient, _indeed_.”

Iruka will not forget the grief that followed months after their separation; he recognizes the error of his response, that sarcastic reflex that tends to come out when he’s feeling rather stressed and cornered like an animal the moment Sparrow brings a gloved hand up to her masked mouth to cough. Or cover up an amused noise.

Well shit. Hopefully she tattle to her commanding officer. Or worse, spread stupid rumors. 

It’s probably a blessing in disguise when the old hag at the desk waves them over, whispers a number to Sparrow before Iruka follows her down the hallway like a leashed, little puppy. He pointedly keeps his gaze fixed between the flex of Sparrow’s shoulder blades, avoiding the masked medics and ANBU alike lingering in the recovery ward hallway, their heads turning to face Iruka like something out of a horror movie, until they reach their destination. The room has three separate beds with a thin curtain between them for the illusion of privacy, all of them occupied. Sparrow pulls open the curtains to the second bed and there, lying shirtless, hair clumped in drying sweat, hooked onto an IV and looking a little blue around the gills is Tenzou. Iruka stands there, staring at this, a lump forming in his throat at the lamentable sight Tenzou makes. Tenzou, who simply sits up in bed like he’s not at all injured, a hand pressing to cover an eight inch jagged, angry red scar on his left side, just under his ribs. It is the only gesture Tenzou outright shows that may signify his discomfort. 

Iruka tells himself to breathe, manages to exhale slow through his nose, telling himself that Tenzou is fine. Is whole. Is actually moving. That the Hokage is right, indeed, Tenzou is fine. It's easier said than done because Iruka's heart continues to hammer. 

(Iruka knows, realisitcally, one of these days, he's going to get called in like this to identify a dead body.)

Iruka reminds himself to count his blessing, that this is not the day where Tenzou will be taken away from him; somewhere in that line of thought, he wonders how often trips like this is going to happen. He didn't have any sort of threshold to compare anything to, Iruka's never been married to anyone with seniority like Tenzou. He most certainly has no experience being in a real, official relationship with active field ANBU. Fuck buddies, yes. Quickies, even more so. But a husband?

Tenzou is staring at Iruka's statuesque form with concern, his head tilting slightly. Iruka forces the thoughts circling his head to deal with later, telling himself that this is not the time to be concerned over a loss that clear hasn't happened. Iruka opens his mouth to say something. Except a medic steps in just as Sparrow disappears, sounding incredibly tired with life as he tells Tenzou he is scheduled for another round of healing in forty eight hours. The medic only _pauses_ (it's almost theatrical, to be honest) in his monotone ramble when he pointedly _ looks _ at Iruka, his line of sight falling on the yellow badge on Iruka’s flak jacket before he resumes in speaking, if possible, even more tired. He deposits a bag of medications into Iruka’s hands, signs something on the clipboard before forking over the release paper. 

“Return the badge to the desk and you can go,” he grumbles, lips pressing to a thin line as he gives Iruka a final look up and down before leaving the room.

Iruka stands their _ staring _ at Tenzou with the most polite what-the-fuck expression on his face. 

“Well, this has been interesting,” Iruka says, unable to keep the tartness from his tone. What an experience this all has been. “People are right. You ANBU are fucking weird.”

Tenzou _ snorts_, the back of his hand coming up to his mouth as he stifles another noise; somewhere beyond the curtains, there is slight movement. Tenzou doesn't seem to be bothered by it because he is unable to suppress the wide, bemused, devilishly handsome grin from pulling across his face. 

That grin, Iruka discovers like a kick to the gut, has the ability to make Iruka incredibly weak in the knees, because good grief was his husband really this goddamn hot?

*

Tenzou asks him about his day during his absence as he always does once he returns. They are lying in bed, Iruka’s head pillowed on Tenzou’s arm as they stare at the flickering starlight on their one way, warded glass ceiling. Iruka tells him about his students and their very diligent schedule in watering his coral roses. 

Tenzou makes an amused noise.

“Kotetsu is on a mission to prove that my super secret jounin lover is behind the salvia garden. And the lavender garden. I’m sure he’s heard of the coral roses by now.” 

“He’s not wrong,” Tenzou offers.

“No, he’s not,” Iruka sighs. “Honestly, it’s very sweet that you want to remind me of your devotion, desire, passion and that I am forever yours, but honestly, at the rate you’re going, you’re going to give the entire shinobi population an aneurysm. You're hardly in the village, so they won't ever suspect; they are at a disadvantage."

Tenzou hums, pressing his lips to Iruka’s temple. “They are a bit slow, aren’t they?”

Iruka cannot help it.

He bursts out laughing.

  
*

Tenzou is cock deep in Iruka’s ass, making him squirm and robbing him of breath when Iruka remembers his summons to the Hokage tower. He bites his lower lip, a useless attempt to clear the fog of blinding pleasure from his eyes, tightens his hold around Tenzou’s shoulders and stammers out his statement before he forgets. Or get distracted by the feel of Tenzou's cock filling him, sliding into him, gods, _fuck_.

“I think Sparrow is onto something,” Iruka _ moans_, suddenly crying out in between the swift, sharp, measured thrusts of Tenzou’s hips. Iruka curses filthily, reaching forward and slamming his palm on their headboard, gritting his teeth as his fingers _digs_ into Tenzou's shoulders for purchase. Straddling Tenzou and trying to have a conversation is impossible. 

“Oh?” Tenzou isn’t even out of breath. It’s a little unfair.

“She calls you Taichou; I’m going to assume she’s in your unit. Did you tell your teammates that you’re married?” Iruka promptly forgets where he's going with this conversation, cursing again and biting his lower lip until he tastes blood, when Tenzou _ grinds _ up into his ass, shuddering as his jaw slacks.

“No,” Tenzou says, soft. The statement is punctuated with a sharp inhale, his thrusts slowing just _so_, enough for Iruka catch his breath and stare meet Tenzou's dark, molten, most definitely amused gaze -- the jerk. “But if they haven’t figured it out yet, then I’m giving them a bad review in their performance. Poor observational skills in the field can be deadly.”

(Gods, why, just _ why _, is Tenzou so hot in that commanding voice of his?) 

Iruka is powerless to stop the breathless laugh as he comes from _that_ tone of voice. 

  
*

The next day, after Iruka’s shift at the desk, he stops at the store to pick up a few last minute things for dinner. He is on his way out when he bumps into Izumo and Kotetsu, who joins him on his walk home, chattering away excitedly about the rumor mill. Iruka laughs along with them, bemused at some of the ludicrous things he hears.

When they reach a junction, Iruka stops to make a right turn, when normally, he would have continued.

“Going somewhere?” Izumo asks, tilting his head.

“Oh, yes, uhm, well, I moved,” Iruka explains, tipping his chin at the direction of his new address. 

“When?” Kotetsu asks, blinking at being caught off guard.

“Uhm, this probably month two, now…” Iruka says, sheepish as he brings a hand up to the back of his head. 

Kotetsu and Izumo doesn’t say anything on the matter, shrugging it off as they bid their goodbyes to go their separate ways. Iruka takes two steps forward, stops, sucks in a deep breath and decides it’s time. 

“Kotetsu,” Iruka calls out, looking over his shoulder at the curious glances his friends directs at him some four feet away. “You weren’t wrong. And I said yes.”

Iruka refuses to feel bad about being part of the sudden _ ruckus _ that erupts in the middle of the street, when his friends crows, cheers and openly display their genuine happiness for him.

*

Iruka figures out that Tenzou is fucking with him when he shows up at the mission room right after Tenzou departs for another mission to find a balsamine plant on his table. In Front of his chair. You can't even pretend it belongs to someone else. 

Balsamine; impatience.

Iruka settles down, sets the pot behind him on the window sill and tries not throw a hole puncher at Kotetsu’s giggling self, two seats down, where he has a small pocket sized book that lists all the plants there is an their meanings, picture and all.

It’s an announcement, a proclamation, for others to steer clear of Tenzou’s husband because he is taken. 

Irukca can’t deny that it makes him feel incredibly special.

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah. LOL. More to come. I think.


End file.
